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Confederate States of America
War Department
Richmond, Va. May 23, 1863
His Excellency
Z B Vance
Gov. N.C.
Your letter of the 18th just has been rec'd. the resignation of Lt. Col. Keith was accepted at the office of the Ad. & Ins. General the 15 inst. No proceedings of a court Martial in his case have been rec'd. His resignation was accepted on the recommendation of Col. Palmer commanding the brigade & Maj Genl Maury - the examining board having [?] aganist his competency. The Adj. & Insp. Genl was not aware of the facts of the alleged murder, as applying to this officer at the time of his action on the resignation, where hving no reference to the facts in the papers before him.
In a communication to the department by Lt. Col. Keith, he claims that Br Genl Heth gave him a verbal order to this effect. I rec'd [?] no reports from you about your [?] at Laurel. I do not [?] to the trouble with any prisoners & the last one of them should be killed_ That he further to state, that he had been troubled with several prisoners from Laurel, N.C. and he did not want any man brought to Knoxville_
This statement is supported by the deposition [?] of a Dr. Thompson, & Keith [?] in his letter that he can prove it by another witness.
The communication of Keith & the disposition of Thompson were submitted to Br. Genl Heth for records - He says that he gave written instructions to Keith which he found in the books of the Dept. of E. Tenn._ he admits that he told Keith that those found in arms ought not be treated as enemies & in the event of our engagement with them to take no prisoners, as he considered that they had forfeited all such claims _ But he denines[?] in strong terms the making use of any remarks which would authorize maltreatment of prisoners who had been accept as such, as to women & children.
Very Respectfully
Yr Obit Svt
James A. Seddon
Secy of War

Confederate States of America
War Department
Richmond, Va. May 23, 1863
His Excellency
Z B Vance
Gov. N.C.
Your letter of the 18th just has been rec'd. the resignation of Lt. Col. Keith was accepted at the office of the Ad. & Ins. General the 15 inst. No proceedings of a court Martial in his case have been rec'd. His resignation was accepted on the recommendation of Col. Palmer commanding the brigade & Maj Genl Maury - the examining board having [?] aganist his competency. The Adj. & Insp. Genl was not aware of the facts of the alleged murder, as applying to this officer at the time of his action on the resignation, where hving no reference to the facts in the papers before him.
In a communication to the department by Lt. Col. Keith, he claims that Br Genl Heth gave him a verbal order to this effect. I rec'd [?] no reports from you about your [?] at Laurel. I do not [?] to the trouble with any prisoners & the last one of them should be killed_ That he further to state, that he had been troubled with several prisoners from Laurel, N.C. and he did not want any man brought to Knoxville_
This statement is supported by the deposition [?] of a Dr. Thompson, & Keith [?] in his letter that he can prove it by another witness.
The communication of Keith & the disposition of Thompson were submitted to Br. Genl Heth for records - He says that he gave written instructions to Keith which he found in the books of the Dept. of E. Tenn._ he admits that he told Keith that those found in arms ought not be treated as enemies & in the event of our engagement with them to take no prisoners, as he considered that they had forfeited all such claims _ But he denines[?] in strong terms the making use of any remarks which would authorize maltreatment of prisoners who had been accept as such, as to women & children.
Very Respectfully
Yr Obit Svt
James A. Seddon
Secy of War